Former MI6 Officer Christopher Steele Pursues £800,000 Legal Claim Against Donald Trump in Scottish Court
Christopher Steele, the former MI6 officer whose intelligence 'dossier' became central to allegations of collusion between Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign and Russia, is pursuing a claim for legal costs totalling approximately £800,000 against Mr Trump in the Scottish courts. The action stems from a previous defamation case brought by three Russian businessmen named in Steele's report, which alleged their involvement in Russian influence operations.
Mr Steele, a director of Orbis Business Intelligence, compiled the dossier for Fusion GPS, a Washington-based research firm. This report, published by Buzzfeed in 2017, contained unsubstantiated claims regarding Mr Trump's activities in Moscow, including allegations of sexual misconduct and clandestine meetings. The former president has consistently denied all assertions within the dossier, labelling it 'fake news'.
The defamation lawsuit against Mr Steele was initiated by oligarchs Mikhail Fridman, Petr Aven, and German Khan. While Mr Steele successfully defended the claims, securing a victory in London's High Court in 2020, he is now seeking to recover his substantial legal expenses from Mr Trump. The Scottish jurisdiction for this particular claim arises from Mr Trump's business interests and assets in Scotland, notably his golf resorts at Turnberry and Balmedie. This legal manoeuvre highlights the enduring financial and reputational fallout from the dossier, placing a renewed focus on the former president's overseas holdings and the lingering scrutiny over the original intelligence claims.
